


Protecting the Protector

by MidnightMuse234



Category: Bleach
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Mpreg, Smut, does not apply to the ship but proceed with caution either way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:48:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22454164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightMuse234/pseuds/MidnightMuse234
Summary: Ichigo is always protecting others, so who will protect him when he's caught off-guard? A certain Hollow-Zanpakuto takes steps to remind Ichigo that he can rely on others for help too.In this fic, Shirosaki is referred to as Zangetsu.
Relationships: Hollow Ichigo/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 9
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> No, this fic is NOT stolen. It's been backed up/reuploaded from my ffnet account. I plan to transfer all fics here, and leave my other account as a small archive. Thank you for understanding!

"You're a piece of shit, Kurosaki!" The tall man spat into Ichigo's face. Gajine, that was the bastard's name; he was quickly climbing Ichigo's list of most annoying people.

Gajine was a tall, chubby man with a thin beard and small, round eyes. He and Ichigo had first met about a month ago, when Ichigo had caught the man trying to steal from Yuzu at the mall. Ichigo, of course, handed the man his ass on a silver platter, but it seemed that humiliation hadn't taught Gajine his lesson.

Now Gajine was trying to get his revenge on Ichigo. Gajine had gathered two other crooks to help corner Ichigo in the alleyway. One was a skinny man named Kaito, who had purple and green hair. The other was a man named Ushiro, who looked similar to Gajine but lacked any facial hair. The three of them had snuck up on Ichigo, which mind you was _not _easy to do. It mainly consisted of Gajine causing a distraction while Ushiro and Kaito grabbed Ichigo from behind. It would have been easy for the 21-year-old, Substitute Shinigami to break free if it hadn't been for the knife one of the jocks had pressed to the back of his neck.

The Substitute Shinigami was not ready to be permanently sent to the Soul Society, no thank you.

Ichigo settled to smirking. "Why don't you just let me go, Gajine? We both know how this ends... cops show up, you run away, your friends here lose some teeth - so why not make this easy on yourself and get lost now!" Why couldn't Ichigo just learn to not be so cocky when in situations like this?

It was too late to take back his words. They had done their work; Ichigo could see anger spiking in Gajine's eyes. Saliva spilled past Ichigo's lips as he was punched in the stomach. Gajine wasn't satisfied until he saw ruby droplets dripping from Ichigo's chin.

"Fuck you!" Gajine breathed into Ichigo's face.

Ichigo flinched and gave Gajine his best glare. He could feel the red liquid rolling down his chin, but it was something he'd become accustomed to. It hardly fazed him.

"What is with you?" Gajine seemed to be reaching into his back pocket for something, but he'd stopped as he locked eyes with Ichigo. "Your eyes don't even seem scared…" Why did Ichigo always get into trouble because of his eyes? "What does it take, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo blinked. "What does it take?"

Gajine sneered, something akin to a growl leaving his throat. He grabbed Ichigo harshly by his chin. "What does it take to _break_ you?"

Ichigo shook out of the hold and spat in Gajine's face. He felt the knife on the back of his throat bite at his skin. Ichigo's teeth clenched down on his tongue, suffocating his hiss of pain. He refused to show even a glimpse of despair to these men. Gajine looked to the men behind Ichigo, and pointed to the ground. He was shoved to his knees and no sooner than a second later a foot collided with his side. Ichigo grinned, silencing his pain by gritting his teeth, as each kick dug deeper and deeper into his flesh. Ichigo kept smiling, even when he was positive something had broken in two.

Gajine finally stopped after Ichigo's blood began to soak his clothes.

"We should go…" Ushiro spoke, "He's lucky to live after losing all that blood."

Gajine still had a crazed look to his eyes. "No." Was his simple response. After a moment of silence, he added, "It's time for people like Ichigo to learn their place. There are no heroes in this world…" Gajine's hand returned to his pocket, where he retrieved a long pocket knife. "Let's play a game… it's called, 'Does the carpet match the drapes?'"

Gone was the worrisome, anger-driven Gajine. In his eyes all Ichigo could see was blood-lust. The rest was an empty shell. Ichigo's grin faltered as the knife came dangerously close to his eyes. He'd felt that pain before, and he didn't want to again. He sighed quietly in relief as the point of the knife instead touched his cheek, dragging down the side of his face until it stopped at his jaw.

"Hold him down."

The other two had gone silent. Ichigo could feel them shaking in fear as his arms were twisted in a near-impossible position. He tried to struggle, to break free, but two knives now threatened his life. His face crashed against the gravel on the ground. He could smell faint smoke from the cigarette butts that had been tossed to the ground and had long since been forgotten.

There was nothing else other than shock that could describe how Ichigo felt next.

Ichigo's shirt was ripped off and used to bind his arms to a ladder, in the same painful position as earlier. Hands appeared on his hips and he immediately kicked out in protest. A blade to his back stopped him. Ichigo's teeth dug into his lip, forcing blood. Gajine cut off Ichigo's pants, leaving him in only his boxers. Ichigo didn't cry, but he did curse, "Don't you even think about it! _Bastard!_"

Gajine didn't hesitate - even after Ichigo's threatening words - to pull Ichigo's underwear down to his ankles. Gajine's tongue clicked in approval, "Well, Kurosaki. It seems I was wrong. Your hair is natural… you're orange all around." Ichigo tensed, and then released a soft growl as his legs were pulled apart by Ushiro and Kaito. He squeezed his eyes shut, white-hot rage blinding his vision.

Ichigo suddenly felt sick, like the world was moving too fast for him to follow. His heart thudded rapidly in his chest, pumping something _twisted _through his veins. All he could feel was rage and anger and hatred. He let out a laughter that wasn't his, thick with venom and laced with the promise of death. The air became heavy with _his _presence, Ichigo's monster. The Hollow's reiatsu acted like a poison that infected the young Kurosaki with a bold animosity. "You're gonna _die." _He promised before the feeling escaped his body and left him feeling cold.

Ichigo sensed _his_ presence before he heard him.

"I'm not very patient, so I'll only give you three seconds to run before I slaughter you." That wasn't just a threat, it was a promise, but it carried a weight that only Ichigo truly understood.

"Run!" Ichigo shouted, "Get out of here, now!"

"Ha! Nice try Kurosaki… your threat doesn't scare us." Ichigo heard Gajine speak. So they couldn't see _him. _They had no idea what was standing right _there._

"GAH!" Kaito suddenly screamed. Ichigo felt the grip on his legs vanish, and he immediately brought them close to his chest. _Safe._

"What the hell!?" Gajine shouted.

Ichigo turned to look and found Kaito choking on his own blood. A white blade stuck out of his chest. A small grin tugged at Ichigo's lips, but it quickly vanished when he realized his Inner Hollow was staring right at him. That was the first time Ichigo had truly noticed the extent of the insanity in those glowing yellow orbs. Zangetsu's eyes pulsed with cruelty, making Gajine's eyes earlier seem almost innocent in comparison.

Ichigo looked away.

He heard the screams of the other two. Ushiro went down with a wet _thud _that made Ichigo flinch. But as he heard Gajine scream, beg for mercy, pray to be spared, the part of Ichigo that he always fought to keep down, the cruellest part of his instincts, felt satisfied. _Serves you right, _he thought.

As silence fell on the scene, Ichigo turned to look at the damage. The blood wasn't what fazed him, but rather the fact that there were the bodies of three _humans _laying at the feet of his Zangetsu. It felt wrong to Ichigo that three human lives had been ended because of him. Especially since they'd been killed by something they couldn't see.

Yellow eyes turned to Ichigo, and the Shinigami flinched. "Boy, ya must've been desperate t'summon me out 'ere. Then again, I think it's reasonable after seeing the state you're in."

Ichigo's fear immediately returned to rage. "You _killed_ them!"

"I let them off easy, is what I did." Ichigo shivered as Zangetsu walked towards him, dragging his stained Tensa Zangetsu along the ground. Ichigo hadn't even realized that his Hollow was in his Bankai until this very moment, and then Zangetsu let it fade back to his Shikai. "They did an awful number on ya, King, but don't worry… I'm gonna take care of ya now."

"Like hell you are! Don't touch me!" Ichigo squirmed but ultimately stopped protesting when cool hands appeared on his shoulders. The touch was so gentle, so _different_, that it made Ichigo realize just how sore his limbs had become. He'd felt so powerless before, but with Zangetsu close he didn't feel as… scared.

"Easy, King. I gotcha."

Ichigo easily melted into the other's touch. The soothing combination of gentle hands and the other's familiar reiatsu had Ichigo unable to say a word in protest Zangetsu undid Ichigo's binds.

He kissed those burns and they immediately began healing. Zangetsu grinned as Ichigo stared at him. Sometimes it seemed like Ichigo forgot he was on his side. Then a frown and a glare appeared on Zangetsu's features, as his eyes spotted the cut on Ichigo's cheek. Ichigo squeezed his eyes shut as Zangetsu leaned into his face. He could feel the Hollow's warm tongue gliding across his cheek, and Ichigo shuddered.

**_"There, see?" _**Ichigo's eyes snapped open at the sound of Zangetsu's voice.

"Thanks…" Ichigo spoke softly. He slowly pulled up his boxers, noting dully to himself that Zangetsu hadn't once looked anywhere but his face the whole time. He smiled to himself at the odd respect that developed between himself and his Zanpakuto. It had been slow-going these past few years, ever since Ichigo found out the truth, but he and Zangetsu had finally found peace in their relationship.

Of course, there were times when Ichigo was reminded that the other was truly a monster, and there were also times that Zangetsu didn't appreciate Ichigo's self-sacrificing habits, but they'd always been able to find some sort of compromise.

Ichigo wondered if he'd be able to live with the blood of three humans on his hands, too.

"Yer gonna want this, as well…" Zangetsu removed his Shihakusho and placed it over Ichigo's shoulders.

Ichigo nodded and slowly stood up. He slid his arms through the white Shihakusho sleeves and wrapped it around his body. Zangetsu was content to just let Ichigo walk on his own, but then he noticed Ichigo's quivering hands. Ichigo was limping as well. Zangetsu placed an arm around Ichigo's waist, then around the back of his knees, and he lifted him up into his arms.

Ichigo immediately protested, "I am not your damsel in distress! Put me down!"

"Like hell!" Zangetsu chuckled, "And let someone else touch ya? I don't think so."

Ichigo, somewhat shocked by his hollow's concerned tone, slowly nodded. He surrendered right then and there, out of sheer comfort, and let his head fall into the crevasse between Zangetsu's chest and arm.

"We're goin' back to yer apartment, yeah?"

He slowly nodded in response. Ichigo had, in fact, moved out that past summer into an apartment on the other side of town. It was small, but it was his. And it made meditating to enter his inner world a lot easier without getting interrupted by his family.

Zangetsu sighed as he watched Ichigo drift to sleep. He could still feel his King shaking, and it bothered him how badly those punks had scared Ichigo. He didn't think his King was weak. He _knew _his King wasn't weak. Those men had really gotten to his King, especially if Ichigo had summoned Zangetsu. He wouldn't do that unless it was a last resort… even Ichigo knew what his Zanpakuto would do to anyone that hurt him. Zangetsu grinned a little at that; he liked that Ichigo knew he was more _possessive _than the other Zanpakuto. It made Zangetsu feel _special._

Once they reached the apartment, Zangetsu didn't bother going in through the front doors. He jumped, careful to move slowly as to not wake Ichigo, up to the balcony. It was the only saving grace of this godforsaken apartment: _the view. _Especially at night, the stars hung low over the town, and just about blended with the town lights. There was, thankfully, not enough light pollution to hide the stars.

Zangetsu opened the glass doors and walked in, the light breeze making the curtains dance behind him. He placed Ichigo down on his bed and then wrapped the blankets around his King.

Ichigo didn't care for the blankets, however, and instead snuggled Zangetsu's Shihakusho. The boy smiled as Zangetsu's presence filled the room. It was comforting in all the right ways, bringing harmony to his senses.

Zangetsu gently placed a hand on Ichigo's head, but Ichigo flinched away. When Ichigo was younger, all the bullies ever seemed to do was pull on his hair. Zangetsu didn't doubt that those three men had brought that fear back to life. Zangetsu sighed, this time letting a little more of his reiatsu gather in his palm before moving to pet Ichigo. Ichigo, sensing the reiatsu as safe, allowed Zangetsu's touch. Slow, gentle brushing turned into elaborate playing with Ichigo's hair. It was truly as soft as it looked.

"There ya go, King… nice an' easy." Zangetsu bowed his head to deliver a kiss to Ichigo's forehead.

Ichigo's arms suddenly wrapped around Zangetsu, pulling his head down lower so their lips met. Ichigo kissed him, gently, yet desperately. Zangetsu responded with just as much care to be gentle, not wanting to break Ichigo after the events of today. Ichigo groaned a little, enticing Zangetsu into kissing with just a little more aggression, to which Zangetsu responded with teeth gently tugging at Ichigo's lower lip. He felt Ichigo shiver, this one of obvious delight and pleasure. Ichigo sighed happily as he pulled away. Zangetsu's arms had wound up around Ichigo, embracing him in a sturdy hug. Zangetsu helped lower Ichigo back onto the bed, the young adult's injuries taking too much of a toll on his body for him to properly support himself. As a result, Zangetsu had Ichigo in his arms and the King laid on Zangetsu's chest. The Shihakusho was somewhat tangled, but still laying across Ichigo's body for warmth.

"What was that…?" Zangetsu questioned as he moved his arms snuggly around Ichigo's hips.

"Mm… I just… really wanted to do that…" Ichigo mumbled.

Zangetsu would've been amused, had he not been just a little upset. "Ichigo… you know you don't just kiss people for no reason."

"…" Ichigo moved around so he wasn't tangled up in the Shihakusho anymore. He took most of his weight off of Zangetsu then rested his head under Zangetsu's chin, a hand also on the Hollow's chest. "I just wanted to do that, to thank you… to show you that I care about you too…"

"Yeah, well…" Zangetsu did chuckle this time. "Kissing suggests that ya more than just care, King."

Ichigo sighed, "Maybe I do… You're the only one who protects me…"

"Nah," Zangetsu corrected, "I'm the only one that you let protect you. Yer friends wanna help you too, King."

Ichigo didn't respond, but he didn't have to. They'd had this argument a handful of times before. Ichigo knew his friends just wanted to protect him, and he'd been getting better at letting them have his back, but he would never forgive himself if his friends got hurt while there was something he could have done about it.

However, Zangetsu was different. Ichigo realized this upon accepting the other as a part of himself. At first, Zangetsu's only interest in working with Ichigo was self-preservation, but as they continued to interact and grow together, Ichigo realized that Zangetsu's interests had changed, if only because his Zanpakuto has also accepted that Ichigo was his partner, not an inconvenience. So, with Zangetsu working to protect Ichigo, Ichigo realized that it also meant Zangetsu would be helping him to protect his friends too, even if Zangetsu didn't see it that way.

"You think way too much," Zangetsu criticized. "Go to sleep, you need it. I'll be right here keepin' ya safe."

Ichigo sighed but didn't argue. He closed his eyes and steadily drifted to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Zangetsu held Ichigo as the young adult slept. He didn't dare close his eyes. As impossible as it was, should anyone else from that gang show up, Zangetsu was going to be ready to completely annihilate them. He watched the sky grow darker as the night finally set in. The stars grew brighter, and the moon was visible from Ichigo's window. Zangetsu realized he'd left the window open, but like hell was he was going to disturb Ichigo's sleep to close it. Besides, Zangetsu was kind of enjoying the warm night's breeze.

He felt Ichigo suddenly jerk and his attention was instantly back on his King. His face was scrunched up in fear and worry, eyebrows knitted too close together and lips in a harsh scowl. Zangetsu began to hum, letting his Spiritual Pressure rise. It was soft and comforting towards Ichigo, but harsh and threatening to anyone who loomed nearby. Zangetsu was borderline possessive of Ichigo, so much in fact that he began to cover Ichigo up even more with his Shihakusho.

Ichigo seemed to finally be relaxing again when Zangetsu suddenly caught a waft of some strange scent. He sniffed around, extending his senses to detect what it might be. He looked to the left, nothing, then moved his head to the right and inhaled. The grin that appeared on Zangetsu's lips would have scared even the darkest of Ichigo's nightmares away. The strange scent belonged to _Ichigo. _What a delight! Zangetsu, admittedly, enjoyed Ichigo's scent: soft, smooth caramel in addition to a bit of something… _spicier._

Zangetsu brushed a finger over Ichigo's lips. Ichigo may never understand, how little in touch with his instincts as he was, but Zangetsu knew that Hollows would always seek Ichigo's soul. The weaker ones would simply try to devour him, while stronger ones might attempt to mark him as a Fraccion or worse, as their mate. Zangetsu refused to let that happen. Ichigo was _his, _damn it! No one else could have him!

Zangetsu leaned in, burying his nose in Ichigo's hair and inhaling his scent. His King smelt _so good, _really, it wasn't fair. Zangetsu closed his eyes, remembering what it was like to feel Ichigo's lips on his. He so desperately wanted more, wanted to kiss Ichigo's lips, then his neck, then suck at the other's skin to leave a hickey. He wanted to kiss down Ichigo's chest, praise his King for being so damn beautiful, and watch as Ichigo came undone under him. He wanted to make Ichigo cum over and over until the other couldn't cum anymore and passed out in a blissful daze-

Then Zangetsu snapped out of his thoughts, leaning back from his King. Ichigo, his mate, his _lover? _Yeah, right, like Ichigo would ever see him that way! They barely got along as it was. Half of the time Ichigo was screaming at Zangetsu to leave. In fact, today was the first time Zangetsu had seen Ichigo in about a month. That kiss was nothing more than Ichigo's sleep-deprived, _hollowed _instincts. In other words, a fluke, never to happen again. Just thinking about it made Zangetsu's heart clench. He actually had developed feelings for Ichigo over the past three years, ever since peace was finally brought to the Soul Society. He worked hard to earn Ichigo's trust, and then, once he had it, he worked even harder to develop a friendly relationship with his King. He'd seen Ichigo's interactions with his friends, hell even with the old man, and all he wanted was to be like that.

So here they were, about a year after Ichigo decided he could finally trust the hollow, and what were they doing? Lying in bed together. It could have been innocent if Zangetsu wasn't snuggling, or more accurately coddling, his King. Where had friendship become obsession? When did Zangetsu let his emotions go so far beyond his comprehension? When had Zangetsu even developed emotions? Too many questions, too many things to think about… Why did this have to be so _damn _complicated?

He felt Ichigo stir, a warm finger suddenly tracing Zangetsu's lips. "You're scowling…" Ichigo sounded exhausted. "What you… thinkin' about?"

Zangetsu grinned a little. He'd never noticed how cute Ichigo was when he was half-asleep. **_"_**Nothing, King. I'm just tired."

"Baka, we share the same face… I recognize how I look when I'm upset."

Zangetsu's grin faltered. He averted his eyes, unable to lie to Ichigo's face. "How unfortunate. Seems I can't hide anything from you… I was just thinking about how nice this is, just laying here. I wish we could do this more often."

Ichigo smiled and relaxed, seemingly satisfied with that response. "I know the feeling… I've enjoyed this too. You fretting over me… and accepting that maybe I am a little broken, instead of slapping me on the back and telling me I'm strong enough to overcome this…"

"But you are strong enough to overcome this."

Ichigo chuckled quietly. "Yes, but… you aren't making me feel like I've let anyone down. You make me feel like I can finally give up, if just for a little while… like I can break down and let someone else carry the torch. It feels… nice, actually. I've never felt like this before, not even when mom was alive. I always felt pressured to be perfect for her, and after she passed away… Dad always did… the same thing. He…" Ichigo yawned. "He wanted me… to be the best, to be strong for Yuzu and Karin… I didn't want to disappoint him…"

"You can always lean on me, King." Zangetsu felt truly happy. "Don't ever try to be perfect around me, ya hear? Just be yourself."

Zangetsu's eyes widened when he felt something cold land on his bare chest. Ichigo was _crying. _"I really needed to hear that… thanks." He felt Ichigo hiccup. "I-I… this is why… I agreed to be friends… because you already know everything about me, there's no hiding anything… and I need someone that I can just be completely honest with."

It may not have been exactly what Zangetsu wanted, but Ichigo was displaying his broken side to the Zanpakuto, and that was something even more important than _love. _Ichigo _trusted _Zangetsu with something as simple as his tears. After all, how often did Ichigo cry for anyone?

"You can be honest with your friends too, yanno."

Ichigo sniffled. "I know, but it's so hard to be. I don't want to burden them."

"You're never a burden. That's what friends are for." He rubbed Ichigo's back. "But I get it, King. If you aren't comfortable opening up to them yet, then please, open up to me."

"Zangetsu…"

He shuddered a little at the sound of his real name. "Yes, King?"

"What about you? Are you okay?"

The Hollow-Zanpakuto blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You seem upset…" Ichigo rested his chin on Zangetsu's chest, nuzzling his nose against the tip of Zangetsu's chin. When Zangetsu looked down at Ichigo again, their faces were suddenly close. Ichigo's lips ghosted against Zangetsu's, and the Zanpakuto spirit couldn't bring himself to utter a word now that his eyes were locked on his master's. Zangetsu felt relief when Ichigo suddenly jumped out of the bed. "WAIT A SECOND!" Ichigo screamed, making Zangetsu chuckle at his flustered expression. "How long have I been-? How long have _you_ been-?" Ichigo shivered as a cool breeze went by and he hugged Zangetsu's Shihakusho close. "How long have we been half-naked together... IN MY BED!?"

Zangetsu, who hadn't stopped laughing, slyly slid out of bed to join his King. He stepped up close to Ichigo, his lips lingering on his ear. Then he wandered away to the window he'd left open and quietly shut it. He turned on the fake fire to get some warm air flowing through Ichigo's apartment. "Well," he began to answer, "you've been sleeping, in my clothes, and mostly naked since I brought ya back home."

Ichigo's cheeks turned dark red. "You didn't dress me!?"

"That would've woken you up."

"Well, I'm awake now!"

"Then by all means, King, put some clothes on if ya want." Zangetsu snickered, and then frowned as Ichigo stumbled forward. He caught his Shinigami before his knees hit the floor, with a swiftness he reserved only for emergencies. "Take it easy… I haven't had a chance to heal ya either."

Ichigo released a whimper of pain and pressed his forehead into Zangetsu's shoulder.

Zangetsu smiled sadly, "How about a bath? That'll help…"

Ichigo nodded shakily and allowed Zangetsu to lift him into his arms.

"It'll get rid of your horrible stink too."

Ichigo scowled, and then questioned, "What do you mean my stink!?"

Zangetsu paused at the bathroom door and gave his King a feral grin. "You may not smell it, but since I'm a Hollow, I can still feel and smell those men on you. I'm gonna wash them away…"

Ichigo moved to protest, to scream at his Hollow with all his usual energy and stubbornness. Then he made a wrong move and his bad rib felt like it was on fire, and Ichigo finally let himself cry out in pain.


	3. Chapter 3

"Relax King, or you're going to end up hurting yourself more," Zangetsu cautioned as he carefully placed Ichigo down on the edge of the tub.

Ichigo nodded, focusing on taking shallow breaths as to not irritate his rib more.

Zangetsu got the water running. The temperature was already set to Ichigo's preference, and the rest he was able to figure out from borrowing Ichigo's memories. It was far easier for him to slip in and out of Ichigo's mind now that their bond had grown, but Zangetsu often avoided peering through any of Ichigo's personal memories out of respect for his wielder. Sure, they shared the same history and the same pain, but that didn't mean that they were truly the same person. Zangetsu still valued his independence from Ichigo as much as he enjoyed Ichigo's acceptance of him. He wondered if other Zanpakuto felt the same.

Ichigo slowly climbed to his feet. Zangetsu helped him out of his white Shihakusho, leaving Ichigo standing in nothing but his boxers. Ichigo's cheeks turned red.

"Turn around..." He ordered softly.

Zangetsu blinked. "What?"

"I said turn around," Ichigo repeated, a bit more firmly this time. He gestured wildly with his arms and Zangetsu couldn't help but to cackle at the look.

"We have the same body, King."

"So what!?" Ichigo questioned. "You're still another person and I don't feel comfortable so turn around!"

Zangetsu gave in. It's not like he wasn't going to respect the other's wish, just more like it was too much fun to resist teasing him. It wasn't long before Zangetsu heard Ichigo fumbling, and then a loud thud. He immediately spun back to face Ichigo - the King's pride be damned – and caught him before he fell into the tub. He helped Ichigo out of his boxers. Then he slid Ichigo into the tub and smiled softly at Ichigo's relieved expression.

"There, ya prude," Zangtesu scolded. "Try to relax, alright?"

Ichigo nodded and closed his eyes, enjoying the steam that wafted across his exposed skin, and more so enjoying the heat of the bath. He was slowly drifting off when a sharp pain in his side snapped him awake. His eyes locked with Zangetsu's as the Hollow's hands roamed his rib injury. He hissed as a very tender spot was touched, before he sighed as it was healed. Ichigo could feel his heart pulsing in his temples, the relief overwhelming.

"Quit bein' such a big baby…" Zangetsu muttered, searching for other massive injuries that required his attention.

"Sh-Shut up… My bones were broken, you ass, and it fucking hurt."

Zangetsu rolled his eyes and gave Ichigo an amused smirk. Pale hands moved onto Ichigo's shoulders and a soothing massage was given to the abused limbs. Ichigo tried to limit the sounds he made as Zangetsu healed more of his wounds and bruises. Ichigo groaned as Zangetsu's hands moved lower, fingers kneading into his hips.

Zangetsu was suddenly pulled into the water, his face just about smashing against Ichigo's. The King grinned and placed heated lips on Zangetsu's. This time, the kiss was less messy and more strategic. Ichigo parted Zangetsu's lips with his own and slid his tongue into Zangetsu's mouth. He groaned at Zangetsu's taste and angled his lips to get more access. Ichigo coaxed Zangetsu's tongue into playing along, and before Zangetsu could pull away, Ichigo's hands appeared to pull Zangetsu closer. Zangetsu shivered at the heated touch on his neck and groaned at the strong grip in his hair. His self-control slipped for a second and he pushed against Ichigo, pinning him against the back wall of the tub and fighting back against Ichigo for the dominant position. Zangetsu's teeth clamped down gently onto the Shinigami's tongue, while his hands squeezed Ichigo's hips.

Ichigo pulled away for air. While he was panting, Zangetsu moved his lips to Ichigo's neck. He found his pulse point and sucked, leaving Ichigo with a hickey. He grinned at the mark left behind before pressing his teeth against the mark, not enough to break Ichigo's skin, but enough for Ichigo to feel his teeth there. Ichigo's gasp went straight to Zangetsu's groin, and the Hollow released a sort of pleasured growl of his own. Zangetsu's eyes surveyed Ichigo's, taking in the heat in those chocolate pools.

Zangetsu blinked and pushed himself away from Ichigo. He felt guilt rush through him at the red marks he's left on Ichigo's skin - and he absolutely loathed that he felt guilty at all. Zangetsu began to stand when his wrist was snatched to prevent him from leaving.

"I… I gotta leave, Ichigo... I won't be able to stop myself again..." Zangetsu protested.

Ichigo shook his head. "I like it… when you touch me. I want more…"

Zangetsu's eyes widened at his King's confession. More? "Yer… not kidding, right? You're sure this is what you want? Because I'm not exactly the type of being that can just stop myself once I'm-"

A grin caught Zangetsu's eye, distracting him from the hands tugging at his hakama. His eyes widened once he felt Ichigo's hands on his exposed hips and his pants dropping to the floor. "I want you…" Ichigo pulled Zangetsu into a kiss again, this one slow and passionate. When they separated, Ichigo whispered into the other's ear, "I want you… to make me forget them…"

That was something well within Zangetsu's capabilities. He admitted to himself that he too wished to make Ichigo forget about those men. All he wanted Ichigo to think about was himself… and whatever unspeakable, pleasurable things he was about to do to the young adult.

As quickly as those thoughts arrived, Zangetsu dismissed them.

"Another time, King… Right now I can't." He admitted, panting, fighting to hold himself still.

Ichigo slowly nodded and looked away. "I understand." His skin was still heavy in a blush, and faint lust glowed in his eyes along with overwhelming disappointment. Zangetsu hated that look, hated himself for turning Ichigo down... He was a Hollow, it should be easy to just take what he wanted, right? Curse that stupid Zanpakuto-half for giving him a heart.

Zangetsu sighed, "King, you're not ready to be mine. There's so much more to this that ya don't understand. Bein' part Hollow… th'mark I'd leave on yer soul would be permanent. I also wouldn't take too well to anyone else trying to claim ya. You saw how I killed those three men, imagine what would've happened if they had actually succeeded… Imagine what I might've done had we been mates, or…"

Ichigo frowned, a gentle pout appearing on his lips. He knew Zangetsu was speaking the truth. Humans changed their minds all the time, what if Ichigo did fall in love with someone else? Then again, it wasn't fair for Zangetsu to assume that of Ichigo. "Give me some credit! Bastard, you know I'd never abandon someone I care about! You think I'd cheat on you? You think I'd make you a promise and then break it? I only want you... I mean it."

Zangetsu's eyes widened. Those words were a bit shocking when they came from Ichigo, and the fact that they'd come from Ichigo at all meant a lot. Ichigo didn't speak lies or to manipulate others. And he may not always think his actions through, but anything he said or did came straight from his heart. Zangetsu chuckled while he released a soft sigh, "Yer real cute when ya get all flustered… Fine, you win. I'm not gonna claim ya just yet, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna help ya with yer little problem, King."

"Wh-What do you mean-?" Ichigo gasped as a cold hand wrapped around his member in what probably was the cruellest action Zangetsu had ever committed. The damn bastard could've at least let his hands warm up a bit more first!

"I mean, you've gotten a bit excited there, Ichi…" Zangetsu needlessly clarified.

Ichigo shot him a quick scowl.

Zangetsu chuckled as he leaned in to kiss Ichigo again. Ichigo moaned against Zangetsu's lips, and Zangetsu took that moment of distraction to slip his tongue into Ichigo's mouth. His tongue easily dominated the other but he had a feeling Ichigo let him win this time. He enjoyed Ichigo's taste and released a deep groan as Ichigo kissed him back. Zangetsu squeezed Ichigo's member, dragging a nail over his tip. He grinned when Ichigo had to separate their lips in order to gasp.

"So sensitive, Ichigo."

"Shut up."

It was then that Zangetsu decided he wasn't going to get out of this without getting a little wet himself. He joined Ichigo completely in the water. The warmth wrapped around him, filling his body with more sizzling desire. He shook his head to clear it. Ichigo would never forgive him if he lost control now… Zangetsu lifted the other's hips off the bottom of the tub, enough that Ichigo's cock hit the cool air.

"A-Ah~!" Ichigo gasped at the sudden movement. His hand grasped the bar on the side of the tub. Zangetsu noticed the white-knuckled grip and he chuckled.

"Relax King… and just enjoy yourself…" That was all the warning Zangetsu gave before he swallowed Ichigo. Toes curled and Ichigo threw his head back against the wall of the bathtub. There was a soft bang, but Ichigo didn't seem to notice or care. Zangetsu's mouth was much hotter than the water had been and Ichigo was quickly learning that he was a lot more sensitive than he'd like to be.

"Ahn… Ha-ah~" Ichigo panted. He hooked his heels into Zangetsu's back.

The Zanpakuto spirit grinned around his master's erection. One arm released Ichigo's legs in order to free a hand that could toy with Ichigo's base. Zangetsu felt Ichigo thrust unwillingly as his hand cupped Ichigo's balls. He rolled them between his fingers, occasionally squeezing the base of Ichigo's throbbing member. These actions made Ichigo twitch, but Zangetsu wanted Ichigo _writhing._

Ichigo planted his arm firmly over the side of the tub. He panted heavily, trying to dull the heat rushing to his face. He felt Zangetsu swallow, his throat going tight around him. Ichigo moaned his encouragement.

Oh, that look was just too much for Zangetsu. Ichigo looked so hot, his face dark red and in pure bliss. Zangetsu squeezed Ichigo's base again and heard his King groan. It was so delicious that he couldn't help but release a moan of his own.

The vibration from Zangetsu's voice nearly threw Ichigo over the edge. "Fuck! Sh-Shiro…ah~!"

Zangetsu growled around Ichigo. _He's close…_

Zangetsu grinned and went down, all the way down, mouth taking in as much as it could. He gave a gentle suck then pulled back, teeth dragging gently against Ichigo's skin. He separated from Ichigo with a soft 'pop' then took him in his mouth once again.

His fingers slid further under Ichigo, nails teasing the skin under the base of Ichigo's erection and inching towards his entrance. Zangetsu sucked hard as Ichigo continued to moan, panting 'yes' and 'please' softly from his lips.

Zangetsu continued to bob his head, coaxing his King towards his orgasm. He felt the other's spiritual pressure rise just before Ichigo moaned, "_Zangetsu_... hah... I'm..."

With another groan from Zangetsu, Ichigo was sent over the edge. Zangetsu swallowed as the other released, not caring just how messy he may look in the end but much more focused on Ichigo's twitching figure. Zangetsu carefully lowered Ichigo back into the water, grinning triumphantly at the rosy cheeks of his master. It always felt good to hear his name - his _true_ name - leave Ichigo's lips. It sent a shiver of power crawling up his spine.

"Get… that smile off your face… bastard…" Ichigo panted, his lips slightly swollen and in a full pout. Zangetsu found them irresistible and leaned in to kiss Ichigo. He felt Ichigo flinch, obviously displeased at tasting himself on Zangetsu's lips, but it didn't seem to bother him too much as he gave in anyway. Zangetsu's tongue explored Ichigo's mouth once again, savouring his King's delicious taste.

* * *


End file.
